Disclosed is a vacuum valve including a valve closure and a preferably pneumatic or electro-pneumatic drive unit having a pressure medium, said drive unit being coupled to the valve closure. The vacuum valve also has a pressure sensor such that a pressure of the pressure medium can be measured.

Disclosed are a slit valve apparatus and a method for controlling a slit valve. The slit valve apparatus includes a slit valve assembly and a servo-control system in communication with the slit valve assembly. The slit valve assembly includes at least one gate able to transition between an open position and a closed position, at least one pneumatic actuator, at least one proportional pneumatic valve including a plurality of controllers, and a continuous position sensor. The servo-control system includes a centralized controller that generates a control signal and adjusts the movement of the at least one gate based on the position trajectory for the gate, a linear position measurement of the gate from the continuous position sensor, and fluid pressure/flow measurements from the plurality of controllers.

Disclosed is a wafer processing system, a dual gate system, and methods for operating these systems. The dual gate system may have a first gate, a second gate, a gate connector coupled to the first gate and to the second gate, and actuator coupled to the gate connector. The actuator is configured to seal the first gate against a first slot or open the first slot via vertical motion. The actuator is also configured to seal the second gate against a second slot or open the second slot via a combination of vertical motion and horizontal motion.

A double-plate gate valve includes a valve body, a valve cover, a valve stem, a guide plate, a goggle plate assembly, a diversion hole assembly, a disc spring assembly and a valve plate and wedge assembly. The goggle plate assembly provides mounting support for the diversion hole assembly and the valve plate and wedge assembly in the valve chamber, the goggle plate assembly is movable along with the diversion hole assembly and the valve plate and wedge assembly in the valve chamber, and floating seals are formed at a contact surface between the diversion hole assembly and the guide plate, and at a contact surface between the valve plate and wedge assembly and the guide plate. A face-to-face distance and a sealing force between a sealing surface of the diversion hole assembly and a sealing surface of the valve body are adjustable.

Valves having a sprung gate of various constructions are disclosed. In one embodiment, the sprung gate includes a first endless elastic band having an inner perimeter defining an open space sandwiched between a first gate member and a second gate member that each define an opening therethrough in an open position portion thereof. The first endless elastic band is sandwiched therebetween with its open space oriented for alignment with the opening in both of the first and second gate members, which are aligned with one another to form a passage through the sprung gate. In one aspect, the first endless elastic band in positioned inward a distance from the outer sides of the first and second gate members and spaces the first gate member a distance apart from the second gate member thereby defining a channel having a bottom defined by the first endless elastic band.

A gate valve comprising a plurality of first force-applying units built in a valve box; a second force-applying unit disposed between a first movable valve and a second movable valve; and a third force-applying unit. The first force-applying units are driven by incompressible fluid and have a function of applying a force to the first movable valve to be directed to the first opening portion in the flow passage direction and thereby causing the seal portion to be in close contact with a valve box inner surface located at the periphery of the first opening portion. The gate valve includes an incompressible-fluid driver that drives, the first force-applying units by incompressible fluid.

Disclosed are a slit valve apparatus and a method for controlling a slit valve. The slit valve apparatus includes a slit valve assembly and a servo-control system in communication with the slit valve assembly. The slit valve assembly includes at least one gate able to transition between an open position and a closed position, at least one pneumatic actuator, at least one proportional pneumatic valve including a plurality of controllers, and a continuous position sensor. The servo-control system includes a centralized controller that generates a control signal and adjusts the movement of the at least one gate based on the position trajectory for the gate, a linear position measurement of the gate from the continuous position sensor, and fluid pressure/flow measurements from the plurality of controllers.

A gate valve system includes a gate valve that has a housing with a first tubular body and a second tubular body separate from the first tubular body. The gate valve has a gate that moves to interrupt or allow fluid flow from the first tubular body to the second tubular body. The system includes a first seat disposed at a first annular reassess and defines an interior channel configured to receive pressurized fluid from a fluid injector. A second seat disposed at a second annular recess defines a second gap with the second annular recess. The second gap receives the pressurized fluid from the interior channel of the first seat to expand the second gap to move toward the surface of the gate to form an emergency seal with the gate as the pressurized fluid expands the second gap.

A gate valve comprising a plurality of first force-applying units built in a valve box; a second force-applying unit disposed between a first movable valve and a second movable valve; and a third force-applying unit. The first force-applying units are driven by incompressible fluid and have a function of applying a force to the first movable valve to be directed to the first opening portion in the flow passage direction and thereby causing the seal portion to be in close contact with a valve box inner surface located at the periphery of the first opening portion. The gate valve includes an incompressible-fluid driver that drives, the first force-applying units by incompressible fluid.

A gate valve system includes a gate valve that has a housing with a first tubular body and a second tubular body separate from the first tubular body. The gate valve has a gate that moves to interrupt or allow fluid flow from the first tubular body to the second tubular body. The system includes a first seat disposed at a first annular reassess and defines an interior channel configured to receive pressurized fluid from a fluid injector. A second seat disposed at a second annular recess defines a second gap with the second annular recess. The second gap receives the pressurized fluid from the interior channel of the first seat to expand the second gap to move toward the surface of the gate to form an emergency seal with the gate as the pressurized fluid expands the second gap.